OBJECTIVE: To identify, if Dornic acid test done on human milk bank sample is as effective as doing routine culture, both pre and post pasteurization. METHODS: The authors analyzed 477 samples, both pre and post pasteurization. Dornic acid measurement was performed by using N/9 NaOH and titrated to get dornicity of the sample. Senstivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) at different Dornic acid levels were calculated...

INTRODUCTION: In-stent restenosis (ISR) remains a major limitation of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A role for peripheral blood cells as major regulators of immune and inflammatory systems has been proposed. We aim to evaluate the relationship between eosinophil count and development of restenosis after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. METHODS: In this prospective study, all consecutive patients undergoing elective DES implantation for chronic stable angina (CSA) in a university-affiliated heart center within a 6-month period were enrolled and followed for another 6 months...

STUDY QUESTION: How does a maternal diabetic hyperadiponectineamia affect signal transduction and lipid metabolism in rabbit preimplantation blastocysts? SUMMARY ANSWER: In a diabetic pregnancy increased levels of adiponectin led to a switch in embryonic metabolism towards a fatty acid-dependent energy metabolism, mainly affecting genes that are responsible for fatty acid uptake and turnover. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Although studies in cell culture experiments have shown that adiponectin is able to regulate lipid metabolism via 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), data on the effects of adiponectin on embryonic lipid metabolism are not available...

Direct analysis of biomolecules in complex biological samples remains a major challenge for fluorescence-based approaches due to the interference of background signals. Herein, we report an analytical methodology by exploiting a single low-cost near-infrared sub-nanosecond pulse laser to synchronously actualize optical trapping and two-photon excitation fluorescence for senstive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in buffer solution and human whole serum with no separation steps. The assay is performed by simultaneously trapping and exciting the same immune-conjugated microsphere fabricated with a sandwich immunization strategy...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare direct microscopic examination, direct fluorescent antibody assay (DFA), and the immunochromatographic method (IK) and identify the best suitable method for the diagnosis of Giardia intestinalis. METHODS: In this study, 25 stool samples that had been diagnosed as being infected with G. intestinalis using the native-Lugol and/or formol-ethyl acetate concentration method and 25 non-parasite-infected samples (the control group) were examined...

BACKGROUND: Earlier detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) is essential for dental professionals to improve patient survival rates. The aim of this systematic review is to to evaluate the effectiveness of devices that utilise the principles of chemiluminescence and tissue autofluorescence as adjuncts in the detection of OSCC and OPMD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The electronic retrieval systems and databases searched for relevant articles were PubMed [MEDLINE] and Science direct...

PURPOSE: This study is to determine the diagnostic utility of optimal recording electrode placement for distal latency comparison of median-second lumbrical and ulnar-interossei/third lumbrical (M2L-UI3L) in carpal tunnel syndrome. METHODS: Sixty-five hands of control and 75 hands of 62 clinically suspected carpal tunnel syndromes were used for the M2L-UI3L and standard conduction studies. To obtain optimal M2L-UI3L, the recording active electrode (E1) was placed at the midpalm over the third metacarpal bone, whereas the reference electrode (E2) was attached to the palmar digital crease area...

Au-IDE/CFP10-ESAT6 aptamer/DNA-AuNPs MSPQC for rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was constructed based on specific detection of specific fused antigen CFP10-ESAT6 which secreted only by pathogenic M. tuberculosis in its early culture time. CFP10-ESAT6 aptamer was used as sensor specific probe of CFP10-ESAT6 antigen. Au nanoparticles (NPs) was employed to increase sensor senstivity. The Au-IDE/CFP10-ESAT6 aptamer/DNA-AuNPs electrode probe was prepared by modifying of the complementary DNA-AuNPs on to interdigital array microelectrode with CFP10-ESAT6 aptamer...

Transpeptidation catalyzed by sortase A allows the preparation of proteins that are site-specifically and homogeneously modified with a wide variety of functional groups, such as fluorophores, PEG moieties, lipids, glycans, bio-orthogonal reactive groups and affinity handles. This protocol describes immobilization of sortase A on a solid support (Sepharose beads). Immobilization of sortase A simplifies downstream purification of a protein of interest after labeling of its N or C terminus. Smaller batch and larger-scale continuous-flow reactions require only a limited amount of enzyme...

CONTEXT: High senstivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels correlate well other parameters of obesity related metabolic syndrome (MS) and can be used as predictors of future cardiovascular disease risk. There is limited data on hsCRP levels in Indian children with simple obesity. AIM: To study the relationship of hsCRP levels with various anthropometric as well as metabolic parameters in children with simple overweight and obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case control study was conducted in Paediatric Endocrinology clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Northern India...

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is an increasing public health concern worldwide. On a global scale it has a devastating impact in developing nations. Genital TB, an extrapulmonary form, is not uncommon particularly in areas where pulmonary TB is prevalent. Genital TB may be asymptomatic or may even masquerade as other gynaecological conditions; hence, diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion and the use of appropriate investigations. OBJECTIVE: This study attempted to identify endometrial TB in endometrial biopsies taken from women evaluated for infertility by comparison of various staining techniques...

The Eastern honey bee, [Apis cerana (F.)], is an important and common pollinator for an important biodiesel tree, [Jatropha curcas (L.)]. To understand sensitivity of A. cerana to different floral compounds, we quantified volatile floral compounds of J. curcas, then determined electroantennogram (EAG) responses of A. cerana to 11 compounds each at five doses (0.4, 4, 40, 400, and 4,000 microg) of six most active floral compounds. Our results demonstrated that floral compounds of J. curcas differ in variety and quantity while linalool is always a major constituent in floral blends from three different plantations...

Rhodopsin kinase (GRK1) is a member of G protein-coupled receptor kinase family and a key enzyme in the quenching of photolysed rhodopsin activity and desensitisation of the rod photoreceptor neurons. Like some other rod proteins involved in phototransduction, GRK1 is posttranslationally modified at the C terminus by isoprenylation (farnesylation), endoproteolysis and α-carboxymethylation. In this study, we examined the potential mechanisms of regulation of GRK1 methylation status, which have remained unexplored so far...

Right ventricular failure is a significant complication following implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), which increases morbidity and mortality. Consequently, researchers have sought predictors that may identify patients at risk. However, they have lacked sensitivity and/or specificity. This study investigated the use of a decision tree technology to explore the preoperative data space for combinatorial relationships that may be more accurate and precise. We retrospectively analyzed the records of 183 patients with initial LVAD implantation at the Artificial Heart Program, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, between May 1996 and October 2009...

Being simple and inexpensive toluidine blue has been in use for more than two decades for the detection of potentially malignant oral lesions (PMOL's) and malignant lesions. Although there has been concensus that staining often assists in the identification of these lesions, results have been diverse. In most studies false negative were not recorded as biopsies of lesions that did not retain toluidine blue were not performed. Thus the present study attempted to evaluate the efficacy of toluidine blue vital dye for detection of PMOL's...

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-associated dementia (HAD) usually occurs late in the course of HIV-1 infection and the mechanisms underlying HAD pathogenesis are not well understood. Accumulating evidence indicates that neuronal voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels play an important role in memory processes and acquired neuronal channelopathies in HAD. To examine whether Kv channels are involved in HIV-1-associated neuronal injury, we studied the effects of HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 (gp120) on outward K+ currents in rat cortical neuronal cultures using whole-cell patch techniques...

BACKGROUND: Malaria shows variations in its epidemiologic pattern in relation to the local situation. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have the potential to provide an accurate diagnosis and to determine the prevalence of malaria in ureas. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of malaria and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of RDT for diagnosis of malaria. METHODS: A health facility based cross-sectional study was conducted from September to November 2006 among Jebrile children of less than five years of age as part of interventional study to develop and test home management of malaria in Jimma Town...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of serum procalcitonin (PCT) to detect severe bacterial infection (SBI) in ambulatory children attended in the emergency room (ER) for fever without source (FWS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A search was made in MEDLINE, OVID and EMBASE (to January 2010). We searched for papers that evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of serum PCT to detect SBI in children that, being previously well, were seen in the ER for FWS. We rated the methodological quality of each paper using objective validity criteria (QUADAS, CASPE) and included only those with the maximum quality in the analysis...

We have tested Galvanovskis and Sandblom's prediction that ion channel clustering enhances weak electric field detection by cells as well as how the elicited signals couple to metabolic alterations. Electric field application was timed to coincide with certain known intracellular chemical oscillators (phase-matched conditions). Polarized, but not spherical, neutrophils labeled with anti-K(v)1.3, FL-DHP, and anti-TRP1, but not anti-T-type Ca(2+) channels, displayed clusters at the lamellipodium. Resonance energy transfer experiments showed that these channel pairs were in close proximity...